Devils Aim for Second Straight Over Bruins Tuesday Night

Tue, Mar 30, 2021
By Jim Vassallo (Veri.bet Writer)

The New Jersey Devils (13-16-4, 30 points) visit the Boston Bruins (17-9-5, 39 points) on Tuesday, March 30, at 7 PM ET.

Even though Boston has just 39 points, the Bruins are sitting in fourth place in the East Division. New Jersey is sitting in seventh place in the division. The Washington Capitals lead the division with 50 points.

The Devils lead the regular-season series with the Bruins 4-0-1. After losing the first game of the series, New Jersey has won the last four games. There are three games remaining in the series, including tonight's contest. Every single game has been decided by one goal.

This is the back-end of a back-to-back between New Jersey and Boston. New Jersey picked up a 1-0 win over Boston on March 28.

Boston is 4-4-2 in the last 10 games, while New Jersey is 5-4-1.

Mackenzie Blackwood tossed aside 40 shots en route to his first shutout victory of the season for New Jersey. The lone Devils goal was scored by Kyle Palmieri in the first period.

For the Bruins, Jaroslav Halak made 28 saves. The Bruins had earned at least one point in each of their last four games (3-0-1). New Jersey had lost four of its last five games before recording the 1-0 victory.

“(It) was really important,” New Jersey head coach Lindy Ruff said about giving the players off on Saturday heading into the Sunday contest. “When you look at playing the number of games we did in the number of days; just to rest, get your mind away from the game and to reenergize to play the game we need to play.”

The Bruins had a goal by Patrice Bergeron disallowed by the officials after Ruff requested a replay review.

“Typically, it's supposed to be egregious,” Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy said. “I think they deemed it egregious. I don't know. What am I supposed to say about that? They made the call and the call didn't go our way.”

The issue Ruff wanted reviewed was possible goaltender interference on the part of David Krejci.

“Immediately when I saw it, it looked like he pitchforked Blackie when he had the puck covered,” Ruff said. “I said to the other coaches: ‘I’m challenging it for sure."

Blackwood said he covered the puck before replay was initiated.

“I knew I had it covered before they replayed that one,” he said. “I saw the one angle and I saw the other angle, to me it looked like it didn't cross the line,” Blackwood said. “They have to look at every angle.”

The Bruins have Brad Marchand (COVID protocols) and Tuukka Rask (upper body) listed on the injury report as day-to-day. The Devils do not have any players listed on the injury report for tonight's game.

Despite suffering their fourth loss of the series, the Bruins are -1.5 favorites tonight against the Devils. The -210 money line is also with Boston. The Over-Under is set at 5.5 goals, which is interesting since New Jersey has won the last two games of the series by identical 1-0 scores. Go with Boston and the -1.5 spread tonight when New Jersey comes to town.